Closure device having ventilating structure

ABSTRACT

A closure device includes an outer sash fixedly secured between the sill and the head members of a frame and having a number of orifices formed in a sheet member, and a slidable inner sash slidably disposed between the sill and the head members and having a number of apertures arranged to be selectively offset from the orifices of the fixed sash, or selectively aligned with the orifices of the fixed sash and to allow air to selectively flow through the apertures of the sheet member of the slidable sash. A number of plugs may be attached to the orifices of the fixed sash and each has a hole for selectively offsetting from and aligning with the apertures of the sheet member of the slidable sash.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a window or door closure device, andmore particularly to a window or door closure device having an airventilating structure for air to selectively circulate through theclosure devices.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Typical closure devices, such as windows, doors, transoms, slidingblinds, or the like, comprise one or more, such as two panels slidablyreceived in a sash or window frame or door frame, and movable relativeto each other, for allowing the closure devices to be selectively openedor closed.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 324,384 to Jewett discloses one of thetypical sliding blinds which also comprise two or more panels slidablyreceived in a window or door frame or sash, and movable relative to eachother, for selectively opening and closing the closure devices. However,the sliding panels should include air circulating holes or orificesformed therein, through which rain or inset or dust may enter into thehouse buildings.

It is to be noted that the air circulating holes or orifices of thesliding panels are normally inclined inwardly and downwardly relative tothe house buildings, such that the rain may easily flow through the aircirculating holes or orifices of the sliding panels and then enter intothe house buildings.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,770 to Anders discloses a typical horizontal slidingwindow with removable fixed sash, and also comprising two or more panelsslidably received in a window or door frame or sash, and movablerelative to each other, for selectively opening and closing the closuredevices. However, when the sliding panels are moved relative to eachother to the opening position, the typical sliding window should bewidely opened, such that the rain or inset or dust may also easily enterinto the house buildings.

In addition, in some of the huge constructions or house buildings, theouter peripheral portions thereof may be attached and enclosed withfixed glass windows that may not be opened, such that air may not enterinto the house buildings naturally, and such that air conditioningfacilities should be energized or operated all day long, and may consumemuch electric energy.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate theafore-described disadvantages of the conventional closure devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a window ordoor closure device including an air ventilating structure for air toselectively circulate through the closure devices.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided aclosure device comprising a frame including a sill member and a headmember, a fixed outer sash including a sheet member fixedly securedbetween the sill and the head members, and including a plurality oforifices formed therein, and a slidable inner sash including a sheetmember slidably disposed between the sill and the head members, andincluding a plurality of apertures formed therein, and arranged to beselectively offset from the orifices of the fixed sash, or arranged tobe selectively aligned with the orifices of the fixed sash and to allowair to flow through the apertures of the sheet member of the slidablesash when the sheet member of the slidable sash is moved relative to thesheet member of the fixed sash.

The sill and the head members each includes a rail provided therein toslidably attach the sheet member of the slidable sash. The slidable sashincludes at least one wheel attached to the sheet member thereof, forengaging with the rail, and for facilitating a sliding movement of thesheet member of the slidable sash along the rail of the frame.

The fixed sash includes a plurality of plugs attached to the orifices ofthe sheet member respectively, and each having a hole formed therein,for selectively offsetting from and for selectively aligning with theapertures of the sheet member of the slidable sash. The plugs eachincludes two peripheral flanges extended radially and outwardlytherefrom, for engaging with the sheet member of the fixed sash, and forsecuring and anchoring the plugs to the sheet member of the fixed sash.

The holes of the plugs are inclined outwardly and downwardly relative tothe sheet member of the slidable sash, to prevent water or rain fromflowing through the inclined holes of the plugs. The orifices of thesheet member of the fixed sash include an inner diameter greater thanthat of the apertures of the sheet member of the slidable sash, forattaching the plugs.

A moving device may further be provided for moving the sheet member ofthe slidable sash relative to the sheet member of the fixed sash, forexample, the moving device may include a pusher engaged with the sheetmember of the slidable sash, to selectively move the sheet member of theslidable sash relative to the sheet member of the fixed sash.

For example, the moving device may include a motor or a hydraulic devicecoupled to the pusher, to operate the pusher. A detector may be coupledto the moving device, to selectively operate the moving device, whendetecting that the content of the carbon oxide (CO) or the carbondioxide (CO₂) in the house buildings is over a predetermined level, forexample, to prevent the users from being suffocated inadvertently.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from a careful reading of the detailed description providedhereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial exploded view of a closure device in accordance withthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of the closure device, in which aportion of the closure device has been cut off to shown an innerstructure of the closure device;

FIG. 3 is another partial perspective view illustrating the operation ofthe closure device;

FIG. 4 is another partial exploded view illustrating the otherarrangement of the closure device;

FIG. 5 is a plan schematic view of the closure device; and

FIG. 6 is another plan schematic view similar to FIG. 5, illustratingthe operation of the closure device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, a closuredevice in accordance with the present invention is provided or arrangedfor mounting in an opening in a house building, and functioned as adoor, a window, a sliding blind, a transom, or the like, and comprises aframe 1 including a horizontal sill member 10 and a horizontal headmember 10 each having one or more rails 11, 12, 13 formed or providedtherein, such as two rails 11, 12 (FIGS. 1-3), three rails 11-13 (FIG.4), or the like.

A fixed outer sash 3 includes a glass or sheet member 30 stably orfixedly disposed or secured in one of the rails 12 of the members 10,and a slidable inner sash 2 also includes a glass or sheet member 20slidably disposed or attached in the other rail 11, and disposed orarranged parallel to the fixed outer sash 3, and arranged to sliderelative to the sheet member 30 of the fixed outer sash 3. As shown inFIG. 4, a screen 70 may further be provided and disposed or attached tothe further rail 13.

The frame 1 may further includes one or more vertical splines 14 and/orone or more vertical jamb members 15 disposed or attached to the sidesof the horizontal sill and the head members 10 and/or to the sides ofthe fixed outer sash 3, in which the vertical splines 14 may eachinclude a serrated or flexible portion 16 formed or provided therein,for snugly or sealingly engaged with the vertical jamb members 15 and/orthe sheet members 20, 30 of the sashes 2, 3, for example.

As shown in FIG. 4, a gasket or sealing strip 17 may further be providedand disposed or attached to the outer peripheral portion of the sheetmember 30 of the fixed outer sash 3 and the horizontal sill and the headmembers 10 and the vertical splines 14 or the vertical jamb members 15,for making or forming a water tight seal therebetween, and forpreventing water or rain from passing through the fixed outer sash 3 andfrom entering into the frame 1. The slidable inner sash 2 may furtherinclude one or more rollers or wheels 23 attached to the sheet member 20(FIG. 1), for engaging with the rail 11 of the frame 10, and forfacilitating the sliding movement of the sheet member 20 along the rail11 of the frame 10.

The sheet member 30 of the fixed sash 3 includes a number of orifices 31formed therein, and the sheet member 20 of the slidable sash 2 alsoincludes a number of apertures 21 formed therein, and arranged to beselectively aligned with the orifices 31 of the sheet member 30 of thefixed sash 3 (FIGS. 1-3 and 5), or to be offset from the orifices 31 ofthe sheet member 30 of the fixed sash 3 (FIG. 6), when or by moving thesheet member 20 of the slidable sash 2 relative to the sheet member 30of the fixed sash 3.

A number of blocks or plugs 40 may further be provided and disposed orattached or engaged into the orifices 31 of the sheet member 30 of thefixed sash 3 respectively, and each includes a hole 41 formed orprovided therein, and also arranged for selectively offsetting from theapertures 21 of the sheet member 20 of the slidable sash 2 (FIG. 6), orfor aligning with the apertures 21 of the sheet member 20 of theslidable sash 2 (FIGS. 2-3 and 5), to allow the air to selectively flowthrough the apertures 21 of the sheet member 20 of the slidable sash 2and thus to flow into the house buildings.

Each of the plugs 40 includes two peripheral flanges 42 extendedradially and outwardly from the two end portions thereof respectively,for engaging with the sheet member 30 of the fixed sash 3, and thus forsecuring or anchoring the plugs 40 to the sheet member 30 of the fixedsash 3. It is preferable that the holes 41 of the plugs 40 are inclinedoutwardly and downwardly relative to the sheet member 20 of the slidablesash 2 or the house buildings, best shown in FIG. 3, to prevent thewater or the rain from flowing through the inclined holes 41 of theplugs 40, and thus to prevent the water or the rain from entering intothe house buildings.

It is further preferable that the orifices 31 of the sheet member 30 ofthe fixed sash 3 include an inner diameter greater than that of theapertures 21 of the sheet member 20 of the slidable sash 2, and theholes 41 of the plugs 40 include an inner diameter identical or close tothat of the apertures 21 of the sheet member 20 of the slidable sash 2,for suitably aligning with the apertures 21 of the sheet member 20 ofthe slidable sash 2.

In operation, the sheet member 20 of the slidable sash 2 may be movedrelative to the sheet member 30 of the fixed sash 3 manually by theusers, or automatically by a motorized pusher 51 (FIGS. 5, 6), in orderto selectively align the apertures 21 of the sheet member 20 of theslidable sash 2 and/or the holes 41 of the plugs 40 with the orifices 31of the sheet member 30 of the fixed sash 3 (FIGS. 1-3 and 5), to allowthe air to selectively flow through the apertures 21 of the sheet member20 of the slidable sash 2 and then to flow into the house buildings.

On the contrary, the apertures 21 of the sheet member 20 of the slidablesash 2 and/or the holes 41 of the plugs 40 may also be selectivelyoffset from the orifices 31 of the sheet member 30 of the fixed sash 3(FIG. 6), when or by moving the sheet member 20 of the slidable sash 2relative to the sheet member 30 of the fixed sash 3 manually by theusers, or automatically by the motorized pusher 51, to block theorifices 31 of the sheet member 30 of the fixed sash 3, and thus toprevent the air or the water from entering into the house buildings.

As shown in FIGS. 5, 6, the motorized pusher 51 may be engaged with thesheet member 20 of the slidable sash 2, and coupled to and operated oractuated by such as a motor 50, a hydraulic actuator 50, or otheractuating or moving means or devices 50, in order to move the sheetmember 20 of the slidable sash 2 relative to the sheet member 30 of thefixed sash 3. A sensor or detector 60 may further be provided fordetecting the air quality or the air quantity or air content or thecontent of the carbon oxide (CO) or the carbon dioxide (CO₂) in thehouse buildings, for example.

In addition, the sensor or detector 60 may be attached or coupled to themoving devices 50, in order to actuate the moving devices 50 to move thesheet member 20 of the slidable sash 2 relative to the sheet member 30of the fixed sash 3, and to align the apertures 21 of the sheet member20 of the slidable sash 2 and/or the holes 41 of the plugs 40 with theorifices 31 of the sheet member 30 of the fixed sash 3, and to allow theair to flow into the house buildings, when the sensor or detector 60 hasdetected that the content of the carbon oxide (CO) or the carbon dioxide(CO₂) in the house buildings is over a predetermined level, for example,and thus to prevent the users from being suffocated inadvertently.

It is to be noted that the blocks or plugs 40 are shown to be providedand disposed or attached or engaged into the orifices 31 of the sheetmember 30 of the fixed sash 3 respectively, however, the blocks or plugs40 may also be selectively attached to the sheet member 20 of theslidable sash 2 instead of the fixed sash 3. The orifices 31 are notrequired to be formed and inclined relative to the sheet member 30 ofthe fixed sash 3, to allow the orifices 31 to be formed and manufacturedrelatively easier, because it will be difficult to form inclinedorifices 31 in the glass or sheet members 30.

Accordingly, the window or door closure device in accordance with thepresent invention includes an air ventilating structure for air toselectively circulate through the closure devices.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree ofparticularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure hasbeen made by way of example only and that numerous changes in thedetailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as hereinafter claimed.

1. A closure device comprising: a frame including a sill member and ahead member, a fixed outer sash including a sheet member fixedly securedbetween said sill and said head members, and including a plurality oforifices formed therein, and a slidable inner sash including a sheetmember slidably disposed between said sill and said head members, andincluding a plurality of apertures formed therein, and arranged to beselectively offset from said orifices of said fixed sash, or arranged tobe selectively aligned with said orifices of said fixed sash and toallow air to flow through said apertures of said sheet member of saidslidable sash when said sheet member of said slidable sash is movedrelative to said sheet member of said fixed sash.
 2. The closure deviceas claimed in claim 1, wherein said sill and said head members eachincludes a rail provided therein to slidably attach said sheet member ofsaid slidable sash.
 3. The closure device as claimed in claim 2, whereinsaid slidable sash includes at least one wheel attached to said sheetmember thereof, for engaging with said rail, and for facilitating asliding movement of said sheet member of said slidable sash along saidrail of said frame.
 4. The closure device as claimed in claim 1, whereinsaid fixed sash includes a plurality of plugs attached to said orificesof said sheet member respectively, and each having a hole formedtherein, for selectively offsetting from and for selectively aligningwith said apertures of said sheet member of said slidable sash.
 5. Theclosure device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said plugs each includestwo peripheral flanges extended radially and outwardly therefrom, forengaging with said sheet member of said fixed sash, and for securing andanchoring said plugs to said sheet member of said fixed sash.
 6. Theclosure device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said holes of said plugsare inclined outwardly and downwardly relative to said sheet member ofsaid slidable sash, to prevent water or rain from flowing through saidinclined holes of said plugs.
 7. The closure device as claimed in claim1, wherein said orifices of said sheet member of said fixed sash includean inner diameter greater than that of said apertures of said sheetmember of said slidable sash, for attaching said plugs.
 8. The closuredevice as claimed in claim 1 further comprising means for moving saidsheet member of said slidable sash relative to said sheet member of saidfixed sash.
 9. The closure device as claimed in claim 8, wherein saidmoving means includes a pusher engaged with said sheet member of saidslidable sash, to selectively move said sheet member of said slidablesash relative to said sheet member of said fixed sash.
 10. The closuredevice as claimed in claim 9, wherein said moving means includes amoving device coupled to said pusher, to operate said pusher.
 11. Theclosure device as claimed in claim 10, wherein said moving meansincludes a detector coupled to said moving device, to selectivelyoperate said moving device.